The Newsroom: I'm Just Going to Keep Going With This Whole Jim and Maggie Thing

Poor Maggie. She had a rough week. But luckily, she never seems to feel as embarrassed as I feel for her. I mean, at least she seems to own her inappropriate work behavior. She needs to a) be less obviously in to Jim if she's going to keep dating Don and b) be less obviously in to Jim so she can stop making herself look silly at work. Hide it! How hard is that?! I wish she were a real girl I could actually give advice to. Because I feel she needs it. Step one: CALM DOWN.

Unlike the oodles and oodles of tv bloggers who seem to think Maggie somehow represents an opinion on females at large rather than simply representing a human who could exist in the world, I find Maggie fascinating. Sure, I judge her for her inability to keep her feelings buried when necessary, but it's an interesting character flaw. Room to grow. Things to learn. All good.

It's like Don, Maggie, and Jim are all involved in some game and poor Maggie is the worst player. She has no poker face, so both Don and Jim (and Lisa...) are well aware that she has a thing for Jim. Jim chooses to protect her feelings by lying about Lisa. Don chooses to hurt her feelings by revealing Jim's lie. And Lisa is basically a slut?

Despite the way I just phrased that, I don't necessarily think Jim is in the way way right and Don is in the way way wrong. Maggie needs to gain some clarity and just ditch Don. The problem we're running into is that they haven't really shown us why Maggie doesn't want to do that. What does she see in Don? Perhaps he's a nice, stable, calm force in her hyperactive existence? But Jim is pretty heavily tipping the scales at this point if for no other reason than he seems considerate of her feelings. I'd like to understand Maggie's conflict, but so far, I do not.

And Jim. Lying is bad. But sleeping with Lisa was the real douche move. Everyone knows how Maggie feels about Jim. Sam Waterston probably knows how Maggie feels about Jim. And clearly, no one knows better than Jim and Lisa. So to sleep together was pretty low. I hope they felt really guilty. And I hope when Maggie and Don do break up, Maggie takes some Maggie time before hooking up with Jim. How many times can I say Jim, Maggie, and Don in one post? I should learn to embrace the pronoun!

The good news is (see what I did there?), when NEWS strikes, everyone manages to put their personal crap aside. Even poor Maggie. But seriously, all this news business is getting in the way of my love triangle! Jeez!

9 comments:

I just want to say a few things: I am loving this show, and LOVE that you report on it. I also agree with everything you write regarding this show, and the characters (seriously, why is Maggie still with Don??). Lastly, you pick the BEST stills. :) Thank you for all of your reports, especially this one. I look forward to them every week. You're a total hoot. And a wicked smart one at that. :)

I agree Maggie needs to calm down and have some Maggie time to herself to figure things out for herself.Perhaps she is still with Don because she is insecure like a lot of women. But still Jim and Maggie are soo cute and similar and by the way did you see the preview for next week where Jim hides under the desk like a coward from Lisa too funny.

Maggie needs to gain some clarity and just ditch Don. The problem we're running into is that they haven't really shown us why Maggie doesn't want to do that. What does she see in Don?

The running parallel I'm seeing in the show, especially with Mackenzie and Will and Jim and Maggie, is loyalty. That's the reason that Mac is taking all the crap from Will, but if you remember from episode one, Maggie said she was staying with Will for loyalty. If she would stay in a job where her boss cared so little that he couldn't remember her name, for loyalty, I think she would do the same in a committed relationship. Well "committed" even before tonight's thing about Don and Jenna, M&D were having problems. Actually, now that I've said that, knowing how how how importantly loyalty is to Maggie, it's fair to say that this could be the straw that breaks the camel's back for that relationship.

Also, I think that Maggie's just young. Not sure what she did between college and working at ACN, but if she's 26/27 by the time of 8/19's episode, and she hasn't mentioned doing anything else, she's probably inexperienced on top of being young, whereas even if Jim doesn't have relationship experience, he's got life experience, which counts for something.

Anyway, just wanted to throw in my two cents! Look forward to more of your coverage on these two :D

Great posts and opinions! It is like you can read my mind! I was stunned at how obvious Maggie was, but then ticked off that she was still chained to Don's leg. And the fact that Jim slept with Lisa!!! Seriously!?! It just lowered my respect for Jim (if only a little bit). I love everything about this show (except for the super-fast pace)! I can't wait to read your posts for next episode! Bravo!

P.S. I disagree with you about Jim's haircut... I think it is the cutest cut ever!!